1.

Physical quantities and units

Content
1.1 Physical quantities
1.2 SI Units
1.3 The Avogadro constant
1.4 Scalars and vectors
Learning outcomes
Candidates should be able to:
(a) Show an understanding that all physical quantities
consist of a numerical magnitude and a unit
(b) Recall the following SI base quantities and their units:
mass (kg), length (m), time (s), current (A), temperature
(K), amount of substance (mol)
(c) Express derived units as products or quotients of the
SI base units and use the named units listed in this
syllabus as appropriate
(d) Use SI base units to check the homogeneity of
physical equations
(e) Show an understanding of and use the conventions
for labelling graph axes and table columns as set out in
the ASE publication Signs, Symbols and Systematics
(The ASE Companion to 1619 Science, 2000)
(f) Use the following prefixes and their symbols to
indicate decimal sub- multiples or multiples of both
base and derived units: pico (p), nano (n), micro (), milli
(m), centi (c), deci (d), kilo (k), mega (M), giga (G), tera
(T)
(g) Make reasonable estimates of physical quantities
included within the syllabus
(h) Show an understanding that the Avogadro
constant is the number of atoms in 0.012 kg of
carbon-12
(i) Use molar quantities where one mole of any
substance is the amount containing a number of
particles equal to the Avogadro constant
(j) Distinguish between scalar and vector quantities and
give examples of each
(k) Add and subtract coplanar vectors
(l) Represent a vector as two perpendicular components

Physical Quantities & Units

Physical quantities ! Physical properties that can be measured and quantified
All physical quantities are represented by a
numerical magnitude (value) and a unit

International System of Units (SI Units)

What? French Metric System
Why? More systematic. Its denominations are in steps of 10, which makes it
easier and more convenient to use
Importance? A standard system for international communication and exchange of data
especially in scientific research, trades, etc.
Examples of
System of
Units
" M.K.S System ; metre-kilogram-second
" C.G.S System ; centimetre-gram-second
" F.P.S System ; foot-pound-second

Base Quantity
! Fundamental quantities that cant be simplified
! Base Unit: fundamental units that cant be simplified
Base Quantity Symbol Base Unit Base Symbol
Length l metre m
Mass m kilogram kg
Time t second s
Current
I
ampere A
Temperature T/! kelvin K
Amount of Substance n mole mol
Luminous Intensity l candela cd

Derived Quantity
Derived Quantity Symbol Equation Formula Derived Unit
Area A Length x Breadth A = L
2
m
2

Volume V Length x Breadth x Width V = L
3
m
3

Density " Mass / Volume " = m/V kgm
-3

Velocity v Length / Time v = L/t ms
-1

Acceleration a Velocity change / Time a = #v/t ms
-2

Length = 100 m

physical numerical unit
quantity magnitude
Some derived quantities and units have special SI names.
Derived Quantity Equation Base Units Secondary Unit Symbol
Force (F) F = ma kgms
-2
newton N
Work (W) , Energy (E) W = Fd kgm
2
s
-2
joule J
Power (P) P = W/t kgm
2
s
-3
watt W
Pressure (p) p = F/A kgm
-1
s
-2
pascal Pa
Frequency (f) f = 1/t s
-1
hertz Hz
Charge (Q) Q = It As coulomb C
Momentum (p) p = Ft kgms
-1
- Ns
Angle - - radian rad
Potential Difference (V) V = W/Q kgm
-2
s
-3
A
-1
volt V
Resistance (R) R = V/I kgm
-2
s
-3
A
-2
ohm $
Magnetic Flux (%)

% = FA/Qv kgm
2
s
-2
A
-1
weber Wb

Prefixes
Syllabus Prefix Symbol Factor
Yotta Y 10
24

Zetta Z 10
21
Exa E 10
18

Peta P 10
15

!
Tera T 10
12

!
Giga G 10
9

!
Mega M 10
6

!
kilo k 10
3

!
hecto h 10
2

!
deca da 10
1

!
deci d 10
-1

!
centi c 10
-2

!
milli m 10
-3

!
micro 10
-6

!
nano n 10
-9

!
pico p 10
-12

femto f 10
-15

atto a 10
-18

zepto z 10
-21

yocto y 10
-24

Estimation
When making an estimate, it is only reasonable to give the figure to 1 or at most 2
decimal number since an estimate is not very precise.

Physical Quantity Reasonable Estimate
Mass of a apple 100 g / 0.1 kg
Weight of an adult 600 N
Volume of a small bean 0.5 cm
3

Height of a room in a house 2.5 m
Length of a football field 100 m
Temperature of the human body 37 C / 310 K
Speed of a cruising jumbo jet 700 kmh
-1
Reaction time of a young man 0.2 s
Power of a hair dryer 1000 W
Wavelength of visible light 400 nm

Occasionally, students are asked to estimate the area under a graph.
Often, when making an estimate, a formula and a simple calculation may be
involved.
E.g. Estimate the average running speed of a typical 17-year-olds 2.4-km run
Velocity = distance / time = 2400 / (12.5 x 60) = 3.2
& 3 ms
-1

E.g. Which estimate is realistic?
Option Explanation
A
The kinetic energy
of a bus travelling
on an expressway
is 30 000 J
A bus of mass m travelling on an expressway will travel between
50 to 80 kmh
-1
, which is 13.8 to 22.2 ms
-1
. Thus, its KE will be
approximately 12 m (18
2
) = 162 m. Thus, for its KE to be 30 000J:
162m = 30 000. Thus, m = 185kg, which is an absurd weight for a
bus; ie. This is not a realistic estimate.
B
The power of a
domestic light is
300 W
A single light bulb in the house usually runs at about 20 W to 60
W. Thus, a domestic light is unlikely to run at more than 200W;
this estimate is rather high.

The volume of air
in a car tyre is
0.03 m
3


Estimating the width of a tyre, t, is 15
cm or 0.15 m, and estimating R to be 40
cm and r to be 30 cm,
volume of air in a car tyre is
= !(R2 r2)t
= !(0.42 0.32)(0.15)
= 0.033 m3
" 0.03 m3 (to one si g. fi g.)
D
The temperature
of a hot oven is
300 K
300K = 27 C. Not very hot.
Homogenous Equation
Homogenous equation have the same units for left-hand side and right-hand side of
the equation
Physical equation must be homogenous to be correct
If an equation is homogenous, it is possibly true because we cant verify the
correctness of the coefficient
E.g. Show that the equation v
2
= u
2
+ 2as is homogenous
v
2
= u
2
+ 2as
(ms
-1
)
2
= (ms
-1
)
2
+ (ms
-2
)(m)
m
2
s
-2
=

m
2
s
-2
+ m
2
s
-2

m
2
s
-2
= m
2
s
-2

# (shown)

Mole ! One mole of any substance is the amount containing a number of particles equal
to the Avogadro constant
Avogadro Constant ! the number of atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon-12
! 6.02 x 10
23
mol
-1

Molar mass !The mass in grams numerically equivalent to the sum of the atomic
masses of the atoms in the molecular formula.

Scalars Vectors
Definition
A scalar quantity has a magnitude only. It
is completely described by a certain number
and a unit.
A vector quantity has both magnitude and
direction. It can be described by an arrow
whose length represents the magnitude of the
vector and the arrow-head represents the
direction of the vector.
Examples
Mass, Temperature, Time, Length, Speed,
Energy, Distance, Work Done, Kinetic
Energy, Pressure, Power, Electric Charge,
Volume, Density, Heat Capacity, Latent
Heat, Frequency, Wavelength, Potential
Difference, etc.
Common Error:
Students tend to associate kinetic energy
and pressure with vectors because of the
vector components involved. However, such
considerations have no bearings on whether
the quantity is a vector or scalar.
Displacement, Force, Velocity, Angular
Velocity, Acceleration, Momentum,
Displacement, Moment of Force, Torque,
Electric Field, Gravitational Field, Magnetic
Field, Weight, Area, etc.